Have a Quiet Home and a Well-rounded Student with a Summer Book Club
Admit it. You’ve had more park days than you can stand, and you’re only halfway through summer break. But you’d rather that your kids have something more stimulating to do than be on their phones or game all day. When my kids were younger, we participated in our local library’s summer book club. I enjoyed an hour or two of quiet, and the kids got a free book once they completed the reading list. That library program was okay, but I started our own family summer book club. I let them choose some of the titles, but I also threw in my own based on their reading levels, like missionary biographies, historical fiction, classics, poetry, character building, and various practical books. Then a checklist went on our fridge for accountability and encouragement. I set reading goals at the outset–big or small, again based on reading level–and offered rewards tailored to my kids’ likes and what would be meaningful to them. The rewards were small, but my kids loved them! A friendly competition developed between them. And for a couple hours every day, our home was peaceful while my kids were learning to love reading.
About the Author: Anita Nish is a born-again follower of Jesus Christ, pastor’s wife, mom of five, and homeschool mom of 20+ years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in French and English and a Master’s degree in English education. After serving her family and her church, her third greatest desire is to teach younger women the principles of Titus chapter 2: to love their husbands, to love their children, and to be workers in their homes.
